


Shoebox Memories

by orphan_account



Category: IT - Stephen King
Genre: Alternate Universe, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, Gay, M/M, Reddie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-20
Updated: 2019-09-20
Packaged: 2020-10-24 14:14:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20707361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Basically au where Eddie doesn't die and he and Richie get a chance to actually b in a relationship 2gether. Also, I decided to just make Eddie not be married in this bc even tho his wife is a really minor character I don't like the idea of writing abt a character cheating? Even if it is for gay reasons u_uAnyway this is my first time actually publishing a story that I unironically wrote so! hope yall enjoy it! <3Also there might be some nsfw in later chapters but idk hfjhdhfjd i feel like i wouldn't be good at writing that so jsut have some fluff for now





	Shoebox Memories

“Richie, I think I killed it!!!!” Eddie happily screamed, hovering over his best friend.  
“Huh?” Richie was still a little dazed and lying with his back on the ground. It finally clicked in his head what Eddie was saying to him, and was about to tell him how proud he was when…

“I did it!!! I killed it for real!! I-” There was a sickening squelching sound as something ripped through Eddie’s stomach. Eddie made a choking noise before falling forward, blood pooling in his mouth. His head fell against Richie’s chest as Richie sat up, panicking. 

“Oooooh shit, ooooh no, what do I do?! Eddie?” Richie’s voice shook, cradling Eddie’s head in his hands. Completely unaware of his other friends screaming at him, the only thing he was focused on right now was trying to help Eddie in anyway he could. He picked the other man up and rushed him to a corner in the room, laid him down and desperately tried to apply pressure to the wound. One of his friends came up behind him, he wasn’t entirely sure which one, and yelled at him that they had to fight It. Now. 

The rest of their time in the underground hideout was a blur. He remembers feeling panic, grief, intense fear, and rage. Everytime he looked at the thing that had just killed the only man he ever truly loved, white hot anger came bubbling up to his chest. He also vaguely remembers calling Pennywise one of the most devastating things he could think of, which is of course, “sloppy BITCH”. Before he knew it, the clown was dead and deflated before them, it’s heart crushed in their hands. As soon as he was sure it was dead and couldn’t harm them anymore, he dashed back to the spot where Eddie laid. 

“Eddie! It’s dead!” Richie half-whispered and half-screamed.  
“Richie… I have to… I have to… I have to tell you something.” Eddie gurgled, ignoring what he had just been told. 

Richie’s heart rose up in his chest and his eyes widened. The way Eddie looked into his eyes told him that what he was about to say was very important to him. All of the intense feelings of love he felt toward this man came flooding over him, along with the hope that what he thought was going to happen would actually happen. 

“...Yeah?” He said, voice breaking. 

Eddie had been waiting for the moment to tell Richie how he really felt. He couldn’t do it when they were kids, and he couldn’t bring himself to do it in the past few days that they had been together. It just never seemed like the right time. On top of that, he had no idea if Richie felt the same way. Eddie kicked himself for waiting until he was on his deathbed to confess to Richie, but he just didn’t want to go without letting him know. He built up all of his confidence, spat out some blood, took a deep breath, and got ready to choke it out. 

“I fucked your mom.” 

Goddammit. The look on Richie’s face hurt worse than the stab wound in Eddie’s stomach. He nervously giggled, trying to mend the situation. This only reminded him of the searing pain he was feeling and made him groan. Richie turned and looked at his friends. They were all giving him very sorrowful looks. Bill opened his mouth to say something, but Richie cut him off. 

“We can still save him!” He shouted, getting to his feet, carrying Eddie with him. The other losers all exchanged pained looks with each other. Everyone, including Richie and Eddie, knew that there was no hope. 

“We can still save him.” Richie squeaked. 

“Whatever we do, we have to get out NOW!” Mike cried, noticing that the underground fortress was destroying itself. There simply wasn’t any time to argue with Richie, and nobody wanted to leave Eddie, who was still barely clinging to life, down there. The losers escaped the absolute hell hole, Richie carrying Eddie bridal style the whole way out. The second they stepped out of the house, it crumbled to the ground, leaving nothing but debris and a huge hole in the ground. As soon as he caught his breath, Richie pulled out his phone and called an ambulance, not thinking of how strange they all must have looked. 

Long story short, the ambulances arrived and took them all to the hospital. They were asked many questions about Eddie’s condition that none of them had the answers to. The entire hospital staff was especially interested because this is Derry, and nothing ever happens in Derry. Especially not something like this. Once the doctors concluded that the rest of the losers didn’t require any medical attention, they were all released from the hospital. With the exception of Eddie, who was in critical condition. Richie refused to leave the hospital until he knew that Eddie was alright. He begged the nurses to let him see him, but they always told him that he was in no condition for visitors and to wait in the waiting room. So, he did. He waited for hours and hours. His friends all waited with him, but Ben pulled him to the side, away from the others so they couldn’t hear.

He stood next to Richie and stayed quiet for a moment, looking as if he was trying to find the right words.  
“Are… Are you gonna be okay?” Ben said carefully.  
“As okay one someone can be, watching their best friend almost die.” Richie laughed.  
“Well, I know what it’s like, being in love with someone and being too scared to do anything about it. You’re not alone on this one.” Ben said, offering a comforting smile.  
“I-In love? What’re you implying?” Richie stammered, face growing red.  
“C’mon, man. I’ve seen the way you look at him! Everyone knows it! Even Eddie, probably!” Ben chuckled.  
“Ugh. Is it that obvious?” Richie groaned, putting his head in his hands.  
“Listen. The point is that he’s going to be okay. With all the stuff we’ve all been through, you think a simple stabbing is going to kill him?” Ben said.  
“....You think?” Richie whispered.  
Rather than answering, Ben wrapped him in a hug. A couple of tears rolled down Richie’s face as he weakly hugged him back. Ben pulled away and patted him on the back. The two exchanged understanding, wordless smiles and they returned to sit with the rest of the gang. Nobody asked what they were talking about. Seeing them hug and Richie with tears in his eyes must’ve made them all realize it was serious. He felt slightly better now, but there was still a nagging in his head giving him the worst ideas of what was going to happen. Richie had to force back tears and desperately wanted something to distract himself. Just as it was beginning to be too much for him, a nurse walked over to the group. 

“Are you all the friends of Mr. Kaspbrack?” She asked.  
“Yes!” Richie exclaimed, jumping up from his seat.  
“Your friend is alive and well, and you can go visit him if you’d like-” She barely got a chance to finish her sentence before Richie burst into tears. He shouted “thankyousofuckingmuchohmygoooooooood” a little louder than he intended. The nurse told him which room Eddie was in and the others joined Richie in dashing in that direction. 

Knocking politely on the door before slamming it open, Richie’s eyes landed on the love of his life, lying in a hospital bed all bandaged and bruised, and his heart burst into a million pieces. Eddie looked like he was anxiously texting someone on his phone, but upon hearing the door open and his name being squealed by 5 voices, he looked up and flashed the biggest grin any of them had ever seen him wear. Physically restraining himself from flinging his body over Eddie in a massive hug, Richie gently put a hand on his shoulder and sat on the bed next to him. 

“Jesus Christ, Eds! you’re really alive!” He whispered. “How are you feeling?”  
“Terrible, if I’m being real honest with you.” Eddie smiled. 

They stood around, discussing the events of what just happened, everyone feeling a sense of euphoria over defeating the thing that had been tormenting their minds for the past 27 years. Everyone hugged and cried, even kissing each other on the forehead and cheek. Bill made a comment about how they must’ve looked insane, being covered in blood and slime, bringing their friend to the hospital with a stab wound, and now standing around crying. Everyone agreed with this, but they didn’t really care. 

Everyone stayed together for a while in that hospital room. They all spent one night there, sleeping in chairs provided in the room. Eventually, however, after making sure Eddie was okay, one by one, everyone started to leave. They were all tired and wanted to go home. Wishing each other goodbye’s with more hugs and kisses and pats on the shoulders, it was eventually just Eddie and Richie left in the room. Alone. 

“So… I was just wondering..” Richie gulped.  
“Yeah?” Eddie hesitated.  
“Back there… You looked like you wanted to tell me something. Something more than you fucked my mom.” Richie chuckled.  
“Oh, you caught onto that?” Eddie felt his face flush. “Heh, it’s uh… It’s nothing. It’s stupid.” He said, shaking his head.  
“No, I wanna know! Also, scoot over, bitch!” Richie flopped down in the hospital bed next to Eddie. 

This action brought Eddie back to that moment when they were kids. They were hanging out in their underground clubhouse and Richie was hogging the hammock. After refusing to get up, Eddie took matters into his own hands and angrily got in with him. There had been a small moment, just a flash of a moment so fast that he wasn’t even sure if it was real, that it seemed like he and Richie were the only two people in that clubhouse, or even the whole world. The only thing that mattered in that moment was them. That must’ve been the moment he realized he was in love, Eddie thought. 

“...Do you remember that time? On the hammock? In the clubhouse?” Eddie whispered.  
“The hammock?” Richie asked, pretending that he did not, in fact, think about that moment every got damn second of his life.  
“...Nevermind. It’s dumb.” Eddie turned his head away from Richie out of embarrassment.  
“Dude, whatever it is, I’m sure it’s not as bad as you’re making it.” Richie scoffed. 

Whatever you say, Richie. Here goes nothin’. 

“Richie… I think I’m in love with you.” He suddenly felt like there were a million rabid butterflies in his stomach all aggressively trying to get out. 

Richie, on the other hand, felt like his heart was just dipped into a jar of honey. Never in his life did he ever think Eddie would say those words to him. He felt like crying all over again.  
“R-really?” He murmured.  
Eddie turned his head back to look at Richie.  
“You… You really have no idea how long I’ve wanted to hear that…” Richie turned onto his side, putting a hand on the side of Eddie’s face.

“Oh my god he wants me to kiss him” Eddie thought. His gay little heart was filled with nervousness and he suddenly forgot how to kiss or breathe or do anything. He started overthinking, not wanting to mess up the moment, but before he knew it, Richie was already leaned in close and their mouths were mere inches apart. 

“Can I?” Richie softly asked as their eyes met.

Eddie nodded slowly and the gap between their lips was closed in an instant in a soft, lovely kiss. His eyes fluttered closed and all of his worrisome thoughts about messing up the moment faded away. It felt just like the moment on the hammock. Like it was just the two of them in the world, and the kiss they were sharing was all that mattered.


End file.
